New York Attorney General Letitia James is reminding riders, parents and retailers that electric bicycles and scooters must meet state power, speed and labeling requirements, warning that faster vehicles cannot legally be marketed as e-bikes or e-scooters.
Vehicles exceeding the limits may instead qualify as e-motos, mopeds or motorcycles and can be subject to registration, licensing and insurance rules. The consumer alert follows deadly crashes in New York City involving electric vehicles, according to James' office.
Legal e-bikes must have motors rated below 750 watts. Class 1 models provide assistance only while the rider pedals and stop assisting at 20 mph, while Class 2 models can use a throttle but must also stop assisting at 20 mph.
Class 3 e-bikes may provide throttle assistance up to 25 mph but are legal only in New York City. Outside the city, a bicycle that provides electric assistance above 20 mph is not considered an e-bike under state law.
E-scooters can have a maximum capability of 20 mph, but riders may not operate them faster than 15 mph. Local governments may impose additional restrictions on where and how e-bikes and scooters can be used.
Riders must be at least 16 to operate an e-bike or to operate or ride as a passenger on an e-scooter. People ages 16 and 17 must wear helmets on e-scooters, and riders of all ages must wear helmets on Class 3 e-bikes.
E-bikes sold in New York must carry a permanent label listing the class, assisted top speed and motor wattage. E-scooter labels must identify the top assisted speed, passenger capacity and motor wattage.
Businesses may not advertise vehicles as e-bikes or e-scooters if they exceed the legal definitions or are intended to be modified beyond those limits, the attorney general said. Complaints about potentially illegal sales may be filed with the attorney general's office or reported at 800-771-7755.
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